I was watching 'Bachelor in Paradise' last night when the whole Nicole bashing Angela situation rubbed me the wrong way. Here Nicole is, bashing some girl she has never met. Nicole is basing her opinions off of what Angela's ex-boyfriend, Clay, is telling her. Nicole was calling Angela all of these awful names and even mocking her looks because Angela didn't introduce herself to Nicole at the wedding. This whole situation got me thinking about how similar this is to how college is. So, why can't people just be nice to each other?
It really isn't that hard, I mean just be nice.
Think about that freshman girl that is sitting in her dorm room. She didn't get into a sorority, she has no friends yet, she has no idea how to get around her new town, and all she needs is for someone to be nice to her. I'm lucky because I go to college in the town I live in, so I do not have that much of a problem with being unfamiliar with my surroundings, which makes me the perfect friend for someone new to this town. I know where the best restaurants are, the most fun hang-outs, the best shopping centers, etc., which for someone who has no idea that there is more to the town than just campus, could change their college experience a whole lot.
I'm urging you to be nice to others. Talk to the girl or guy sitting next to you in chemistry. Ask them if they'd like to study with you sometime. Knock on your neighbor's door and ask them if they'd like to grab lunch with you because the dining hall can be pretty intimidating. Ask people on your floor if they'd like to come watch 'The Bachelor' with you every Monday night. Just do something.
The more we are nice to others, the more we will see an attitude change on our college campuses. In a world where it is so easy for people to feel excluded, college campuses are the first place where we should be including others because a majority of the students are unfamiliar with where they are.